JOHANNESBURG (PA) – South Africa is considering administering a COVID-19 vaccine that is still being tested by healthcare workers after it suspended the release of another photo on which preliminary data indicated could only be minimally effective against the form mutants of the virus that dominates the country.
The country is fighting Monday to come up with a new vaccination strategy after it stopped using the AstraZeneca vaccine – which is cheaper and easier to handle than others and which many hoped would be crucial to fighting the pandemic in developing countries. development. Among the possibilities considered: mixing the AstraZeneca vaccine with another or administering the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine, which has not yet been authorized for use anywhere, to 100,000 health workers, while monitoring its effectiveness against the variant.
The sudden change in strategy was determined by the preliminary results in a small study that showed that the AstraZeneca vaccine was only minimally effective against mild to moderate cases of the disease caused by the variant.
There is reason to hope that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine could do better in the country. Initial results from an international vaccine test showed that it is 57% effective in South Africa in preventing moderate to severe COVID-19. This was lower than in other countries – the rate was 72% in the US, for example – probably due to the worrying variant. It was even more effective – 85% internationally – in preventing the worst symptoms.
“Can not wait. We already have good local data, “said Dr. Glenda Gray, director of the South African Medical Research Council, which led the South African part of the global process. She pointed out that clinical trials show that the J&J vaccine is safe. Like AstraZeneca, it is even easier to handle than the super-frozen vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.
South Africa seems to heed his appeal. She said the country was making urgent plans to “launch and evaluate it on the ground”.
The inoculation strategy in South Africa is being pursued globally, as the variant detected for the first time and now dominant here is spreading in over 30 countries. Officials say the virus is more contagious and there is evidence that it could be more virulent; Recent studies have also shown that it can infect people who have survived the original form of the virus.
After a second increase, cases and deaths in South Africa have started to decline recently, but it is still struggling with one of the most severe outbreaks in Africa, with over 46,000 deaths. He is worried that another increase will come in May or June, when the country of the southern hemisphere is heading for its winter.
“Scientists need to come together and quickly figure out what approach we will use,” Health Minister Zweli Mhkize said on Sunday evening, announcing the suspension of the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is currently the only one available in South Africa. Deliveries to others, including Pfizer and BioNTech, are expected soon.
The suspension has left South Africa’s vaccination plans in disarray just one week after the country received its first 1 million doses of vaccine. It came after early results from a small clinical trial showed that the shot provided minimal protection against mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 in young adults, according to an announcement by the University of the Witwatersrand, which conducted the test.
The AstraZeneca study involved 2,000 healthy volunteers, with a mean age of 31 years. Scientists generally like to see larger studies before drawing conclusions, and experts say the vaccine can continue to prevent severe disease – and this would go a long way in slowing the pandemic and preventing hospitals from becoming overwhelmed by patients. .
“Vaccines that are effective against more severe forms of the disease may not affect the milder forms, so there is optimism that severe disease will continue to be prevented by vaccines,” said Peter Openshaw, a professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London.
But the results were quite disappointing that South African officials decided to postpone the launch of the vaccine, which was to be given to front-line health workers starting in mid-February.
The preliminary study was not reviewed by colleagues – the gold standard in scientific studies – but was still “a reality check,” said Professor Shabir Madhi, who led the process. “It simply came to our notice then. We need to recalibrate our expectations. ”
Now, the country is looking to change gears. You may continue to give at least one dose of AstraZeneca in the hope that it will protect against severe illness and death from this variant. Also consider combining the vaccine with one of the other vaccines. Most vaccines tested require two doses; Johnson & Johnson is an exception.
An experimental study began last week in the UK to test whether doctors can safely mix and combine doses of AstraZeneca vaccine with the vaccine made by Pfizer.
An additional complication is that the doses of AstraZeneca in South Africa have an expiration date of April, which makes it difficult to administer two doses in such a short period.
Last week, Sarah Gilbert of Oxford University, who helped develop the AstraZeneca vaccine, said researchers are currently working on modifying the vaccine by inserting a genetic sequence from the new variant.
Experts in South Africa have conducted clinical trials on the effects of the variant, known as B.1.351. This variant quickly became over 90% here.
The variant has reduced the level of protection offered by virtually all vaccines, but most vaccines have satisfactory efficacy in protecting against severe cases and deaths caused by version, Madhi said. Novavax vaccine studies, for example, have shown diminished but still good protection against the variant, he said.
“It’s not just a misfortune and death … we have vaccines that work,” Madhi said.
However, he added, “It is possible that this virus will be with us throughout our lives. It is unlikely to be eradicated soon. ”
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Associated Press medical writers Maria Cheng of London and Lauran Neergaard of Alexandria, Virginia.
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